


Hiraeth

by aban_ataashi



Series: Remember Thine Oath (Nona’s Story) [12]
Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Gen, God Squad - Freeform, OC-Tober 2019 Prompt Fill, Pre-Campaign
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 03:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21469153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aban_ataashi/pseuds/aban_ataashi
Summary: Over the years, Nona has developed a certain talent for drowning out old memories. But sometimes, little things slip through the cracks in her armor.
Series: Remember Thine Oath (Nona’s Story) [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547509
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4
Collections: TTRPG Godsquad





	Hiraeth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bazylia_de_Grean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/gifts).

> For the OC-Tober / Unusual Words Prompt: hiraeth: a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past

Over the years, Nona has developed a certain talent for drowning out old memories. It’s not always easy, but she’s found methods that can work to stave off the waves of homesickness. She doesn’t count the days or the years. She focuses on the tasks at hand. She steels herself against what she knows will act as reminders.

But sometimes, little things slip through the cracks in her armor.

Nona is walking through the market, just a typical trip on a typical day, thinking of nothing in particular beyond finding something for lunch. She passes by a baker carrying trays into his shop, and she pays him no mind until the smell of the pastries hits her.

And for the briefest fraction of a second she’s in another bakery, miles and miles away, picking up scones after morning lessons like they always do, because Des is hungry and can’t resist the fresh bread, and she will order blueberry while Nona orders blackberry, and on the walk home Nona will tease Des over the fact that the baker’s son has a crush on her and always makes an extra large treat-

“Hungry?”

Nona blinks and pulls herself back to the present. The baker is looking at her expectantly, and she realizes she must be staring. For a moment her throat is too tight to speak, but she forces herself to breathe and schools her face into a practiced smile. “No, thank you. But they smell delicious.”

Before he can reply she turns on her heel and lets herself disappear into the crowd. Nona walks for a while without direction, all thoughts of lunch forgotten- her stomach is in such knots, she can’t imagine eating a bite.

That night, Nona lights incense as she prays. She breathes deeply, and lets the heavy, perfumed scent burn away the stubborn remains of fresh bread and berries.


End file.
